The world snapped into focus with a jolt, as if someone had flipped a switch in her skull. She lay sprawled on cold, damp earth, the air thick with the scent of moss and decay. Above, a starry sky pulsed with unnatural hues—blues too deep, reds too vivid, like a painting gone wrong.
Her last memory was a scream of tires and the blinding headlights of an oncoming truck. while on her way back from school, she made this fatal mistake by crossing the road while on her phone..
Looking at herself she realized what she saw was not her own familiar form. it was different, her boobs were bigger, she was taller and …. Her hands shook as she touched her face, feeling the unfamiliar contours, the fuller lips, and the heightened senses. And then, the shock hit her like a thunderbolt—protruding from her head were unmistakable feline ears. Panic surged through her veins as she struggled to comprehend the impossible.
"What am I?" she whispered, voice trembling in the alien night.
"Could it be that after I died, I transmigrated into a different world?" she whispered to the wilderness, her voice trembling with disbelief. And as if in response, memories not her own flooded her consciousness, revealing the life of the being whose body she now inhabited; a lioness who happened to have the same name as her, Ava.
She crouched low under a thicket as soon as she heard growls and footsteps approaching. She wasn't alone. Whatever this place was, it wasn't safe.
She overhears voices of about three men talking..
"Do you really think the female is still alive? I doubt even we ourselves can survive such a fall," said the first voice.
"The boss has told us to find her body and make absolutely sure that she is really dead, what foul luck we have. I was really looking forward to playing with that female, her body looks very soft and delicate, it's a real waste for her to die just like that" replied the second voice.
A third voice responded to the second voice, "It is indeed a real shame, but just think, if we can find the body on time while it's still warm, we can still have our fun"
Hearing this, she was appalled, these wicked souls don't even plan on letting a dead woman's body rest in peace. If these men were capable of raping a dead body, what would they do to her who is a living person!!, "Nope i cant let myself be seen" she thought to herself as she decided to get a good look at the trio.
She cautiously observed from her concealed vantage point amidst the dense foliage, what she had initially mistaken for ordinary men engaged in conversation within the forest revealed itself to be a chilling spectacle of grotesque hybrids – an unholy fusion of human and beast. Their forms, a blend of oxen and human or buffalo and human, stirred fear within her. To be ensnared by these aberrations would mean a fate more harrowing than death itself. She recalled that in this world these types of beasts were called stray beasts, because they are unable to transform completely.
Determined to escape, she crept backward, silent as her new body allowed, but a twig snapped under her foot. The sound was a thunderclap in the quiet, drawing three pairs of glowing eyes which locked onto her hiding spot. "There!" the ox-man bellowed.
She fled, every step she took was laden with desperation, a fervent prayer that the beasts wouldn't catch even the slightest glimpse of her.
Behind her, were three beasts, their growls and bellows, reverberating through the dense forest and their eyes aglow with hungry lust, as they pursued her relentlessly.
She stumbled over roots and fallen branches, her heart pounding a frantic rhythm against her ribs, with a surge of adrenaline, she pushed forward, stumbling upon a hidden crevice beneath, obscured by a veil of thick vegetation, No time to think. She dove in. Her body plunged downward into darkness as the echoes of her pursuers faded into the distance. Ava's senses dulled, and the world dissolved into shadows as she surrendered to unconsciousness.
---------------------------------------------
As Ava slowly regained consciousness, her mind felt foggy, her senses dulled by the darkness surrounding her. She tried to move, but every muscle in her body screamed in protest. With a groan, she forced her eyes open, blinking against the dim light filtering through the cracks above her, it seems like it is now morning.
Her body ached, every movement a knife in her side. She was in a tunnel, its stone walls damp and reeking of decay. Ava's memories flickered—fleeing the beasts, falling through the crevice. She probed her injuries, wincing as blood coated her fingers. Broken ribs, gashes, bruises—she was a wreck. But staying here wasn't an option. Those beasts might still be hunting her. she couldn't afford to dwell on her injuries, not now. Ava knew she had to get out of the tunnel, find help before it was too late. With a grim determination, she pushed herself to her feet, leaning heavily against the wall for support.
Each step was agony, every movement a battle against the pain. But Ava refused to give up. She staggered forward, one foot in front of the other, her heart pounding in her chest. The tunnel seemed to stretch on endlessly, twisting and turning as if mocking her efforts to escape. But Ava pressed on, driven by the desperate need to survive.
In the depths of the cave, Ava stumbled upon a vast chamber connected by a narrow passage. Amongst the primitive objects scattered about, she sifted through, hoping to find anything to aid her dire situation. As she searched, leaving streaks of blood in her wake, she uncovered a small pouch. Within it lay herbs and something familiar—a diminutive glass orb emitting a faint glow. Memories flooded back of original Ava's childhood, recalling her father's possession of such orbs, known as energy spheres, each with unique abilities. This particular one held the power to bolster strength and heal, help increase a beastman's level or even revive the near-dead.
Ava hesitated, empathizing with its rightful owner. Yet, in her desperation, with her body ravaged by wounds and uncertainty shrouding her survival, she knew she needed it more than ever. Ava wondered what she would do if the owner suddenly showed up but ultimately, survival trumped morality.
As Ava ingested the energy sphere, it dissolved on her tongue, unleashing a powerful surge coursing through her veins. With each passing moment, her body responded, biological functions accelerating, fractured bones realigning, and wounds knitting shut. Pain ebbed away, replaced by a newfound lightness.
As the orb's effects waned, exhaustion enveloped her, signaling the need for sustenance. Aware of the cave's lack of provisions, she braced herself for the journey ahead, now able to traverse without the burden of pain, albeit still feeling the lingering ache. Despite the temptation to succumb to weariness, she pressed on, driven by the urgency to escape the tunnels while she still had the strength.
Time lost all meaning as she stumbled through the darkness, her eyesight waning with every passing moment. But just when she thought she couldn't go on any longer, a faint glimmer of light appeared up ahead.
Heart pounding with renewed hope, Ava quickened her pace, ignoring the protests of her tired body. As she drew closer, she could hear the sound of rushing water, echoing through the tunnel like a siren's call.
With a renewed energy, Ava emerged from the darkness into blinding daylight. Blinking against the harsh glare, she found herself standing at the edge of a rushing river, the water churning angrily below.
Across the river, Ava could see the outline of what looked like a small village, Inhabited by people dwelling in hollowed tree trunks and who were adorned in animal skin hide, the primitive village bustling with activity despite its modest size. If not for the noise coming from the village one may not even know that a village was here. Help was within reach – if she could only find a way across.
Summoning every ounce of strength in her body, Ava waded into the icy water, the current pulling at her like a relentless foe. Each step was a battle against the raging river, threatening to sweep her away at any moment.
But Ava with sheer determination, she pushed forward, inch by agonizing inch, until finally, she reached the other side., summoning every more strength, Ava dragged herself to her feet and staggered towards the village, her vision becoming hazy with each heavy step.
It seemed like an eternity before she reached the outskirts of the village , but finally, Ava couldn't take it anymore and collapsed onto the ground, a wave of exhaustion washed over her and her breath coming in ragged gasps as she shivered from the cold.
A silhouette of an abnormally huge Jaguar approached her, then the Jaguar suddenly morphed into a male, it didn't seem like he was hostile, as he looked at her with curiosity.
As darkness closed in around her, Ava felt a sense of peace wash over her, surely this man will not leave her here to die. She had survived.
For Ava, this was not the end, but the beginning of a new chapter in her life. And as she drifted into unconsciousness once more, she knew that whatever challenges lay ahead, she would face them head on, with the same fierce determination that had carried her through the darkness of the tunnel.